The Storm
by thelittleturtleduck
Summary: Aang and Katara comfort their daughter during a storm and discuss the future of their growing family.


A/n: Just a short oneshot! I put it in "The Legend of Korra" category because it does take place after ATLA, and it does have Kya and the beginnings of Bumi within it. Please review! God bless!

Disclaimer: I don't own "The Legend of Korra."

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Storm clouds hung above Republic City, releasing sheets of rain on to whatever stood beneath them. People ran down the sidewalk, dodging the droplets as they tried desperately to reach their homes before getting soaked. But it was a futile effort for they were already drenched.

On the island in the middle of Yue Bay, directly in the shadow of the great Avatar Aang statue, sat a set of temples nestled together as if to protect themselves from the oncoming storm. Rain splattered against the rooftops and moistened the ground, but unlike the hustle and bustle of the city, the mass of land was relatively calm. All of its residents seemed to find a certain joy in the occurence of a storm.

Well, almost all of its residents.

Kya was awakened from her dreams of flying high in the air on Appa with her father and mother by her side, when the earth seemed to rumble beneath the wooden structure of her bed. Sitting up abruptly, still a bit unsure as to why she had been jarred awake from such a lovely dream, she looked around her dark room for any sign of what had shaken her in her state of sleep. A streak of lightning brightened the shadows of the confined space, causing her to jump in fright as another rumble of thunder shook the entire temple.

She could now hear the rain pounding outside of her window, splattering across the ground at strange intervals. The small four-year old could feel the pull within her that drew her to the element, but she recoiled from the feeling. Water was so cold, and at times, destructive. It was as if she could imagine the small lemurs that leapt from tree to tree among the forest of the island, being violently hit by the sharp drops of rain.

Her parents weren't kidding when they told her she was a bit complex for a four-year old.

No longer finding her sheets inviting, the girl threw her tiny legs over the side of her bed. Tanned feet hit the cold, wooden ground first, followed by the soft fabric of her cerulean nightgown as the bottom of it swept against the floor with every step she took towards the door.

Entering the hall, she saw that the candles were still lit in the living area of her home. As she traveled down the length of the corridor, she could hear her parents conversing quietly, most likely curled up together on the couch. Entering the den, she didn't say a word but instead went to go stand on the right side of the piece of furniture.

Aang and Katara sat together on the comfy cushions, wrapped in each other's arms as if to protect the other from the raging storm that continued on outside. They had been discussing a ridiculous law Sokka had proposed earlier that day during a council meeting when they realized that their daughter had wandered out of bed in search of them.

"Sweetie," Aang murmured as he gestured for the child to join them on the couch, taking in her unruly mass of dark curls and worried ocean-like eyes, "What's wrong? Why aren't you asleep?"

The Avatar's daughter lifted herself on to the couch, scooting over to where she could snuggle into her father's side, burrowing her face within the fabric of his yellow and red colored robes, "I don't like storms."

The childlike fear in her voiced caused both of her parents to frown, Katara reaching over and gently running her fingers comfortingly through the small waterbender's hair.

"Is it the thunder?"

Kya shook her head at the woman's question, though she couldn't deny that she didn't really like the thunder either.

Aang's brow rose, "Is it the lightning?"

Again, their daughter shook her head, a tiny hand coming up and curling into a small fist as she cuddled closer to her father.

Katara shared a worried look with her husband, shifting away from his side so she could get a clearer view of their child, "Than what is it about the storm that you don't like?"

The parents waited a few moments, Kya seemingly ignoring the question as she continued to hide her face in her father's robes. Finally though, the four-year old released a sigh and glanced up at them with wide eyes.

"I don't like rain."

Aang looked down at the girl, his expression curious, "Kya, what's wrong with the rain? It's just water."

In response, Kya just shrugged. The waterbender sat up then, crossing her legs over one another just as she did when she and her father would meditate.

"Do you think the lemurs are okay, Daddy?"

A bit taken aback by the question, Aang just nodded, "Of course they are okay. I just checked on them earlier today and you helped me refill the feeders. They're fine."

Kya still looked unsure, "What about now that it's raining? Is it hurting them?"

It was Katara's turn to be confused, "Sweetheart, why would the rain be hurting them?"

The young girl was beginning to get frustrated, crossing her arms over her chest and pouting in an adorable fashion, reminiscent of the pout Aang used to give, "Because they don't have any place to go!"

Aang's expression became sympathetic, a tattoed hand coming up and running over the top of the arrow on his head, "Kya, the lemurs live in the trees. They are protected from the rain by the branches and the leaves."

"It still makes them cold."

Katara rolled her eyes, "Sweetie, you are being overdramatic. We have had plenty of storms before and the lemurs are always fine."

Kya's brows scrunched together, the anxiety still evident in her eyes, "But what about the other animals here? Are they okay?"

Aang smiled gently at the tiny child and held out his arms so that she could crawl up into his lap, "They are all fine, I promise."

"Mommy said you are bad with promises."

Katara snorted at the young girl's words, fingers coming up to gently play with a curl that lay on Kya's tanned cheek, "Yes, he is, but this time he is being serious."

"I'm not bad with promises!"

Aang received a skeptical look from both his wife and daughter.

"Hey," He held his hands up in defense, "I'm bad at keeping Avatar promises. This is a new kind of promise. It's a Daddy promise."

Kya's dubious expression lasted for only a moment before she grinned up at him satisfied.

The family sat for a little while longer, Kya constantly asking questions about the rain falling outside. Were the little animals that lived on the ground okay? Were the sky bison alright? Were the pets that were kept in the city being protected as well?

Finally, the young waterbender drifted back into dreamland in the confines of her father's arms. Her mouth still hung open due to the fact that she had been asking another question when she had nodded off.

For awhile, Aang and Katara simply sat in silence. The rain could still be heard pattering on the roof and there were occasional rumbles of thunder, but other than that, the room was silent. Both stared at the little person they had created, the little wonder that never ran out of questions to ask or points to make. She was a remarkable girl, especially for being so young.

"I think it's time for bed," Aang whispered to Katara, nodding pointedly at the slight protruding of her stomach. She was five months along with their second child and he knew that she had to be exhausted. Lifting her head up from the spot it had been resting on his shoulder, the young mother released a sigh and nodded. The couple shared a gentle kiss and a smile before standing from their position on the couch.

After a few traded glances, an unspoken agreement was made regarding Kya. They didn't want to put her back in her own room again, only to have her wake in the middle of the night and come and get them. So it was decided she would be sleeping with them.

It was something they had done multiple times, but both parents couldn't help but feel like this time was special. In a few months, another child would be arriving. A child that would, most likely, be sleeping in their bed or at least in their room. This may be the last time they had just Kya to worry about, to cuddle with, to hold. Storms didn't happen often in Republic City, so they were going to take advantage of this one the best they could.

When they entered their room, Aang gently placed Kya down in the center of their large bed. The girl squirmed slightly when released from her father's hold, but she eventually stilled again. The Avatar placed a gentle kiss on her cheek before preparing himself for bed.

Aang removed his robes, changing into a pair of sleeping pants quickly before crawling under the sheets of the bed. Katara's night-time preparation always took a bit longer though. Aang's eyes followed her form as she stripped down to her bindings and slid a nightgown over her figure, sitting down at her vanity and running a brush through her dark curls. The man could feel a goofy grin form on his face as he watched his wife.

"You are absolutely shameless."

Aang only smiled wider at her words, "You're just so beautiful."

Katara stood from her vanity, blowing out the candle resting on it before crawling carefully into their bed on the other side of Kya. Turning to where she could face both her husband and child, the waterbender smiled gratefully at his compliment.

"Even when I have put on all this weight?" Aang's brow rose at her question.

"Of course," He whispered to her sincerely, smiling in the darkness as he watched her tanned cheeks turn pink, "I always think you're beautiful."

"That sounded cheesy, Sweetie."

Aang laughed quietly, propping himself up on his elbow as he looked over at her with adoring eyes, "I can't help it. It's the truth."

Smiling at his words, Katara's cerulean eyes returned to their daughter's face, a hand ghosting over the curve of her cheek.

"She's a different kid, isn't she?"

Aang nodded, looking down at the small waterbender with loving eyes, "She's so smart. Most kids wouldn't even be able to form half of the sentences she says even if they tried."

"I'm not only talking about that," The skin between Katara's brows wrinkled as she looked up at him, "I don't think I have ever heard of a waterbender holding a certain fear of water."

Aang's expression became dubious, "Katara, she's just scared of the rain. It has nothing to do with the water."

The woman propped herself up on her elbow, stroking the curls in her daughter's hair, "But that's not the only time I notice it. Aang, she hates waterbending practice."

"What?!" This was certainly news to Aang. Kya had always seemed to love training with her mother.

Katara nodded, her eyes slightly hurt, "When I talk to her about healing, she gets really excited. But she doesn't like to fight. She hates it. She's still only the basic forms, and I know she's young, I just hate to see the way she looks at me whenever I make her do them."

Aang shrugged, "Like you said, she's still young. She'll probably grow out of it."

"But she's not a fighter by nature. I don't think she will ever be able to harm anything or ever learn how to harm even if it is only for defense," The waterbender's voice was quiet, the woman painfully aware of the sleeping child beside them, "Think about it, Aang. She's scared of storms because she thinks the lemurs are going to get hurt. Do you think, this child could ever learn combat skills that could potentially hurt, not an animal, but an actual person?"

The Avatar sighed, looking down at his daughter as he watched her eyelids flutter slightly, the smile on her face a telltale sign that she was dreaming,  
"I don't know. She could change as she gets older. She's just sensitive now and there is nothing wrong with that. Even if she doesn't change, you could still teach her how to heal. It sounds like that's something she's interested in."

They sat silently for a moment, both watching Kya as she turned over on to her side, snuggling down into the pillow a bit further and burrowing into their sheets.

"I think she's just scared of what she could do," Katara finally spoke, twirling a lock of her daughter's hair between her fingers, "She's scared by the fact that she could bring harm upon someone. I think that's why she wants to heal."

"And there's nothing wrong with that."

The woman looked over at her husband, a wry grin on her features, "I guess this is where her mixed heritage comes in. A waterbender with the spirit of an airbender. Who would have thought?"

Aang laughed quietly, smiling affectionately at both his wife and daughter, "It's just who Kya is."

Katara shared his smile, the seriousness surrounding the conversation earlier evaporating into thin air as she reached across the space and gently ran her hand along her husband's beard, "You're right. I should be happy she's so sweet-tempered and caring."

The man shivered under his wife's touch, giving her a goofy grin as she drew her hand back and placed it over the covers, cradling her growing stomach.

"I wonder what this next one is going to be like."

The waterbender grinned, running her hand over the slope of the protruding bump, "Probably the exact opposite of their sister."

"You think?"

Katara nodded, "Oh, definitely. I can tell," Eyes drifting to her stomach, her voice grew even quieter, "I just hope I can give you an airbender with this one."

At her words, Aang looked over at her with undeniably adoring silver eyes, "Katara, you know that doesn't matter to me. What our kids bend doesn't make them any more or less special than one another."

"I know you feel that way, but the council and the world doesn't," His wife's voice quivered slightly as she looked over at him, "I just don't want them doing to this one, what they did to her when we realized she was a waterbender."

Aang cringed, his eyes falling down to his daughter's sleeping form. The council had been furious and the world had been pretty vocal about how much they disapproved of the little girl's ability. Even though the Avatar considered himself a very peaceful man, he would be lying if he said he hadn't had to resist the urge to spontaneously go into the Avatar State and teach all those people a lesson. How dare they speak of his daughter that way?

He understood where Katara was coming from, but he also didn't want her pressuring herself when it came to something that she couldn't determine.

"One step at a time, Sweetie."

His words did little to calm her, but Katara gave him a small smile. Both nestling down into the sheets, they scooted closer to Kya, the family huddled together for warmth and comfort.

"I love you."

Aang smiled when he heard her murmured words. The airbender reached over and grasped on to his wife's hand tightly, bringing them over to him and laying a soft kiss on top of her knuckles.

"I love you, too."

Both quieted, ready to drift off into their own dreams. Just when Katara was about to fall asleep, she heard her husband's quiet voice.

"Am I really that bad at keeping promises?"

Smiling, Katara ignored the question.


End file.
